Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider on DeAndre Jordan re-joining the Clippers: “A projection using the multi-year version of RPM, adjusted for age, shows L.A.’s offseason moves as a small net positive. The Clippers are probably still a tier behind the defending champion Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs, who added LaMarcus Aldridge, but they join the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies in what figures to again be a heated battle for home-court advantage in the West. Of those teams, the Clippers were the best last season in terms of point differential, outscoring opponents by 6.6 points per game — second only to the Warriors in the league.”

Darnell Mayberry on Josh Huestis: “Huestis has the length, strength, savvy and athleticism to be a prototypical ‘3 and D’ wing, a player who specializes in knocking down 3-pointers and locking up the opposing team’s perimeter threats with suffocating defense. But he must first improve his long-range accuracy. He made just 85 of 269 3-pointers (31.6 percent) with the Blue last season and never shot above 34 percent from behind the 3-point line in his four years at Stanford. But he’s seeing growth.” Keep Reading…

Tom Haberstroh of ESPN on contracts: “I asked around the league for some explanations for all the long-term deals and the responses were mixed. At least two executives I spoke with thought the widespread injuries had indeed motivated the players to go for the guaranteed cash long-term. Players became more risk-averse than usual. Hard to blame them. Beyond the anecdotal evidence of George, Irving and Durant, a study by ESPN Insider’s Kevin Pelton does show that stars were hurt more last season than any season in recent history. In addition, data from injury expert Jeff Stotts indicates that 4,665 man games were lost to injury or illness in 2014-15, which is the second-highest total in the last eight seasons (2013-14 was higher as it turns out).”

Darnell Mayberry: “Donovan acknowledged that there will be an adjustment period for the entire team, not just Westbrook and Durant. But after spending significant time in his first two months on the job meeting and talking with the majority of the players on the roster — including a recent lunch meeting in Los Angeles with Westbrook — Donovan thinks players are ready for a change, particularly Westbrook and Durant.” Keep Reading…

ORLANDO, Fla. — Sorry, I didn’t have time to really watch and write about that boring summer league game today because I was transcribing like a 4,000-word interview.

So here’s what happened: The Thunder lost their first game (fire Darko!), 80-63 to the Clippers. Mitch McGary had seven points and five rebounds in 21 minutes. Dakari Johnson had 10 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes. Semaj Christon had 10 (4-16 shooting) and four assists in 25 minutes. Travis Bader appeared to have gotten a haircut.

Berry Tramel: “So what’s really going on with Durant? Why, with a couple of days off from Thunder rehab, is he in the Disney capital, bonding with Dakari Johnson, who almost surely will be across the street from Chesapeake Arena this season, playing for the D-League Oklahoma City Blue? My money’s on stir crazy; 2014-15 was a disastrous year for Durant. Last season was more like lost season. Durant underwent three foot surgeries from October through March, played in just 27 games and watched his squad slump its way to missing the playoffs. Cabin fever already has caused Durant to not be himself. He was a little irritable much of the year, not without good reason. When Baryshnikov can’t dance, when Alice Walker can’t write, I assume they’re not easy to live with, either.”

Darnell Mayberry on Semaj Christon: “Thanks to Christon’s steady improvement, the Thunder now faces some decisions. The Thunder is high on Christon and believes he’s NBA ready. But the team’s selection of Cameron Payne with the 14th overall pick in this year’s draft likely will delay Christon’s NBA arrival.” Keep Reading…

Where are you at in your life now, and where will you be a year from now? Two years from now? Where do you see yourself in five years?

(Two paragraphs into this thing and it sounds like the worst job interview ever.)

Now, would you like to make any definitive statements about your future? Statements that folks will come back and attempt to hold against you at a later date?

A year ago, LaMarcus Aldridge professed his desire to finish his career with the Portland Trailblazers. “I want to be the best Blazer — ever,” Aldridge told Joe Freeman of the Oregonian. “This city has embraced me and grown with me. I have so much history, it just makes sense to stay.” Keep Reading…